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Older adults who took medications for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes had slower rates of cognitive decline over a nine-year period than others, according to an observational study of 4,651 older adults. The median age of participants was 77. “Persons who were on two or three medication classes performed as if they were cognitively three years younger,” says Roshni Biswas, a research scientist at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, who presented the study July 27 at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto. “The cognitive change in someone who was 80 and on three medication classes was similar to the cognitive change in someone who was 77 and on none of the studied medication classes.” (Szabo, 7/28)

At least 60% of liver cancers globally could be prevented with control of certain risk factors, including viral hepatitis, alcohol use, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), according to an analysis from the Lancet Commission. In order to reverse the trend of a rising liver cancer burden, an annual reduction of at least 2% in the age-standardized incidence rate is required, while a 5% reduction could prevent up to 17.3 million new cases and save up to 15.1 million lives over the next 25 years, the commission reported. (Bassett, 7/28)

You can actually die of a broken heart after the death of a loved one, especially if the grief is overwhelming, new research shows. Bereaved relatives who experienced “high levels” of grief symptoms were more likely to die in the 10 years following their bereavement than those who experienced “low levels” of grief, a study published Friday in the journal Frontiers in Public Health found. (Ronald, 7/28)

Catching cancer in its earliest stages is one of the most important factors in surviving it. Nipping a tumor in stage 1, before it’s had time to claw its way through the body, is often the best way to give patients a chance at a cure. That’s why dozens of companies have dived into blood-based screening technologies, with the hope of detecting multiple cancers by analyzing free-floating bits of tumor DNA. (Chen and Russo, 7/29)

A wearable sensor could make tracking medication levels much easier for people living with bipolar disorder, eliminating the need for blood draws and lab analyses. The first-of-its-kind device could vastly improve treatment, convenience and drug safety for millions of patients who take lithium—a type of mood stabilizer—for bipolar disorder. (Millington, 7/28)

Shining germicidal UV lights toward the ceiling in common areas of long-term elder care facilities didn't reduce acute respiratory infections for residents, a randomized clinical trial showed. ... However, pooling acute respiratory infections (ARIs) across all cycles of the study in a posteriori secondary analysis, UV appliance use had 0.32 fewer infections per week over the extended assessment period from 28 to 110 weeks. The causal effect was estimated at approximately 9% reduction in infections, they stated in JAMA Internal Medicine. (Phend, 7/28)

Among a cohort of men who have sex with men (MSM) at an Italian hospital, a significant reduction in all antibiotics used to treat bacterial sexually transmitted infections (bSTIs) was observed after the introduction of doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP), researchers reported late last week in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. (Dall, 7/28)